Why do you paint with a palette knife?Great question! Why make it harder?! Well, when I paint with a brush, which I do occasionally, I tend to focus on the detail. With a palette knife I can't focus on the detail too much, so my paintings are looser, and more gestural, with bigger sweeps and strokes. Also spreading oil paint with a palette knife has an amazing feel, not unlike spreading buttery frosting on a cake.

Do you paint from a photograph, or live?Both! I can often be found outside in the San Francisco Bay, painting on the California cliffs or the rolling hills of Napa. I also strive to capture the best photo to paint from. Due to the busy nature of life, it's often more expedient to take photos and paint in my studio.

Would you paint something for me?Yes! I welcome commissions, and custom orders. Just email me and attach an image of what you have in mind to start the discussion. Commission prices are similar to my regular painting prices​.

How long does a commission or custom order take?A few days to paint, then a week or two to dry, I paint in oil and it takes time to dry. Then I can ship it either USPS or FedEX in the USA

How do you ship your art?In a shipping grade cardboard box, bubble wrapped, with a Certificate of Authenticity, and with plenty of packing paper. Your painting is insured and should reach you in excellent condition. If USPS or FedEX damages your painting, take photos, keep the box, and contact me immediately.

How would you describe your style?My style is loose and fast, with a combination of painterly detail and obvious, larger palette and painting knife strokes, swipes and scrapes. This gives my paintings a blended yet somehow sharp effect. The thick impasto texture, which is a byproduct of using a palette knife, gives an amazing sense of movement, as it reflects the light more than a regular brush painting.

What drives you to create your art?My knives have a hold on me, I actually have very little to do with it! I spend virtually every waking moment either painting, thinking about what I am going to paint next, visualizing the ambiance of my next painting, what direction to take with my marketing, what supplies I am running low on, and so on. But when I pick up a painting knife, it all disappears, I feel calm, less turbulent inside my own head, and at peace. It really is cathartic. I work very quickly, and my gratification comes from a whirlwind relationship with me, and my knives. I love to finish a painting in one session, and actually usually I have to, as my palette knife technique is wet on wet. The amazing feeling of spreading buttery paint on a canvas is very satisfying, and it completes me.

How does painting make you feel and what do you wish to impart to others through it?Painting makes me feel worthwhile, gives me an immediate inner thrill, immense feelings of joy, touches my aspiring heart and makes me want to become a better person. Because art is so subjective, and my subject matter is quite varied, I strive to give people a feeling of being absorbed by, and drawn into the painting by a tangible sense of light; whether it’s dappled afternoon sunlight peeking through tree leaves, the stark shadows of an ancient European building, or the harsh reflection of the sun off a snowy mountaintop. I also strive for a noticeable sense of movement in my paintings, especially my birch tree landscapes. After the initial explosion of color, dazzling cadmium reds, yellows and oranges, combined with luscious cerulean and French ultramarine blues, you will then notice leaves falling, and being blown around, helping to draw you in and feel like you just have to be in that birch forest, experiencing the smell, sounds, and visual beauty of our amazing planet.​

What has been your biggest growth as an artist and person throughout your career?As an artist, I am constantly evolving. My technique keeps improving (I think), due to a lot of practice, mistakes, visions, research, and constant pondering. I am still quite early in my career. In just over two years I have gone from novice to a professional, working artist with gallery representation. One of the best things that being a professional artist has allowed me to do, is to make a living out of something I love to do all day. This is an incredibly liberating feeling, along with the joy of touching people emotionally with my art, and has made me a better person in respect of this revelation. I have two young daughters who I am consequently trying to teach to follow their dreams, find their passion, and go for it!​